Seabrook community ready to build new playground

SEABROOK — Over 5,000 pounds of new playground equipment arrived at Seabrook Community Center last Friday night in preparation for the "Community Build Day" that will take place on Saturday.

Kiki Evans

SEABROOK — Over 5,000 pounds of new playground equipment arrived at Seabrook Community Center last Friday night in preparation for the "Community Build Day" that will take place on Saturday.

Volunteers from Seabrook Fire Department, Seabrook Police Department, and eighth-graders from Seabrook Middle School who were at a dance at the Recreation Center helped to unload the new items off of the delivery truck.

"One of the pieces was over 700 pounds," said Seabrook Community Center Recreation Program Director Lyndsey Hamblet. "One of our volunteers went next door to Lowe's and the store let us borrow a forklift in case we needed it."

"This community always comes together," she added. "Teens, firefighters, police officers, and a local business all came through to get this done for us."

In spite of the delivery date being moved up and the delivery time being pushed back repeatedly, Hamblet managed to gather enough volunteers to do the job.

"At first, I had arranged for a dozen people to meet the truck, but the truck was delayed," she said.

When the truck finally arrived, Hamblet's husband, Andre, was the only person available to help.

"A few parents of the eighth-graders who were here at the dance told me to ask their sons to help us if we needed it, and they joined in right away," Hamblet said.

The local vendor will return on Saturday morning to haul the new equipment to Governor Weare Park, the site of the new playground.

Volunteers are asked to gather at the site at 9:30 a.m., and may continue building the playground and help with clean-up until approximately 2:30 p.m., when the Ninety Nine Restaurant has offered to feed all volunteers involved in the construction.

Community Build Day marks the culmination of Hamblet's two-year effort that began with nominating Seabrook as a "Playful City," in order for it to qualify for a $15,000 Let's Play Community Construction Grant. She raised over $12,000 from community organizations and private donors in order to meet a requirement of the grant.

"This goal set in motion will soon be a tremendous accomplishment and an asset for the entire town to enjoy," said Hamblet.

Although Hamblet expressed a sense of relief that most of the work on this project will soon be over, she is looking forward to raising money for the maintenance of the new playground through the sale of benches with donors' names and a wall that thanks donors for their contributions. "It's truly exciting," said Hamblet. "It's the best of the town coming together."

Anyone interested in donating or volunteering for the Community Build Day can contact Hamblet at lhamblet@seabrooknh.org or 603-474-5746.

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